(1) Any regional transportation authority created hereunder shall be deemed a special tax district and shall be authorized to levy an ad valorem tax based on full valuation of real property not to exceed 3 mills on the taxable real property in the areas affected by such authority, with the approval of the county commission or equivalent governing body of such area, at a rate sufficient to produce an amount that may be necessary for effectuating the purposes of this part, if such millage level is approved by a majority of the members of such authority and by referendum. Property taxes determined and levied under this section shall be certified by the authority to the appropriate auditor and extended, assessed, and collected in like manner as provided by general law for such political subdivisions. The proceeds under this section shall be remitted by the tax collector to the treasurer of the authority who shall credit them to the funds of the authority for use in effectuating the purposes of this part. At any time after making a tax levy under this section and certifying the same to the corresponding governing body represented by the membership on the authority, the authority may issue tax anticipation notes of indebtedness in anticipation of the collection of such taxes.
(2) No tax authorized by this part shall be levied unless the same shall be approved by a majority of the electors of each county, municipality, or other political subdivision, voting in elections to be held within the geographical area of the special tax district. A tax shall be authorized only in such political subdivisions as are approved by electors from within the counties or municipalities or other political subdivisions who are members of the regional authority.
